This session will focus on the collective civil society perspective, priorities and recommendations in response to the Africities 9 theme and engage mayors on these priorities, identifying conditions that enable and prohibit the realisation of these priorities and recommendations, and concrete actions required. 

The content will be drawn from the conclusions of the two-day Civil Society Forum, which will be held on 15-16 May 2022 prior to Africities 9, bringing together 100 participants from Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), from Kenya and beyond. The Forum is co-convened by seven Kenyan CSO’s, including members of Habitat International Coalition (HIC) with the purpose of articulating a collective civil society perspective in response to the topics under discussion at Africities 9.

Main issues to be addressed 

• Social Justice and African Cities
• Women’s political leadership and African cities
• Forced evictions and African cities
• Stakeholder engagement and African cities
• Kenya’s position paper for Africities 9
• Affordable housing and African cities

Objectives of the session

• Highlight the collective civil society perspective, priorities and recommendations to Africities 9, focusing on above listed six issues
• Engage CSO and Local Government Representatives in discussion to jointly identify enabling and prohibiting conditions, and concrete actions required

Contribution of the session and its recommendations to the overall objective of the Summit

• Explicitly integrate human rights obligations in the implementation of the 2030 and 2063 Agendas;
• Prohibit, prevent and prosecute forced evictions, and ensure entitled remedy and reparations for affected persons;

Key outcomes 

By drawing on the outcomes of the Civil Society Forum held prior to Africities, this session will foster critical dialogue between representatives of civil society and local and regional governments, identifying conditions and concrete actions required for faithful implementation of 2030 and 2063 Agenda commitments.